Brave New World, “A” beginning

This is my first foray into the blogsphere — so in order to avoid the Jon Lovitz syndrome, “get to know me,” I’ll take a page from my sister-in-law Bev. She wrote an a-b-c of her life that allowed insight into her life/world/viewpoints less structured, more fun than the ordinary.

So — A is for Alyce — Lewis Carroll’s delightful creation spelled her name wrong or so I said throughout my childhood. In history, Alys was the sister of the French king Philip the Fair, betrothed to Richard the Lionhearted, and yet not his wife because among Richard’s other handicaps — his father managed to enjoy the attentions of all available women. Thus, in part his “noble” role in the crusades was to avoid an international scandal created by his refusal to marry his father’s mistress.

Another A more to my liking is the amazing, liberated, independent Abigail Adams. She was America’s answer to Mary Wollstonecraft and part of a lasting tradition of women who stood for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!

It is the mark of a true education to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. –> Aristotle